1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for handling faxes with a stand-alone facsimile machine or personal computer (PC) having facsimile capabilities, and more particularly to blocking inbound faxes using caller identification and forwarding or messaging in response to an inbound fax using caller identification.
2. Description of Related Art
Facsimile (fax) machines are a widely used communications device for most businesses and even many families. Most fax machines are stand-alone devices while others may be part of a multi-function peripheral or personal computer.
Typically, once these devices are setup and powered on they remain powered-up until service, repair or relocation takes them off-line. This is particularly true with stand-alone fax machines.
In any case, fax machines are expected to receive faxes at any time of the day or night. While this is extremely useful, it does leave a communications medium open for unsolicited faxes. When these unwanted faxes contain many pages or are sent frequently, the fax machine is unavailable for more important tasks. Additionally, the unsolicited faxes prematurely exhaust paper and toner or ink supplies. It is therefore desirable to reduce or eliminate the unsolicited faxes so that the fax machine is available for useful work.
A fax device for receiving and sending faxes includes a memory (e.g. non-volatile memory) and a fax controller coupled to the memory. The memory may contain a list of caller identification information. The fax controller may be configured to receive call identification information from a network (e.g. telecommunications network) corresponding to an incoming call and determine how to handle the incoming call based on the list of caller identification information.
The list of caller identification information may include a list of blocked callers and the fax controller may not answer the call if the caller identification information from the network matches information in the list of blocked callers. Alternatively, the fax controller may answer and quickly disconnect the call if the caller identification information from the network matches in the list of blocked callers. If the caller identification information corresponding to the incoming call matches information in the list of blocked callers, the fax controller will answer and process the call.
The memory also may include a list of trusted callers and a list of frequent callers. The fax controller is further configured to add the incoming call to the list of frequent callers if the number corresponding to the incoming call is not present in the list of trusted callers. The fax controller is further configured to add the incoming call to the list of blocked callers if the number corresponding to the incoming call is not present in the list of trusted callers and a usage value is exceeded.
Usage values distinguish unsolicited faxes from routine faxes based on caller frequency, date, time and number of fax pages. The list of frequent callers includes the frequency, date, time and number of fax pages for each call received.
The memory also may include a list of urgent callers. The urgent caller list includes at least one action to be taken when a call to the incoming caller identification information is received. The fax controller is further configured to process the call according to the list of urgent callers if the caller identification information from the network matches information in the list of urgent callers. The actions may include forwarding the call, calling a pager, calling a voice mailbox, calling a mobile phone and sending an email.
A method of handling incoming calls to a fax device is also disclosed. The method may include developing a list of caller identification information; receiving caller identification information from a network during an incoming call; and determining how to handle the incoming call based on the list of caller identification information.
The list of caller identification information may include a list of blocked callers and the determining step may include comparing the caller identification information receiving during the incoming call to the list of blocked callers; and refusing to answer the incoming call if the caller identification information matches information in the list of blocked callers. Alternatively, the determining step may include comparing the caller identification information receiving during the incoming call to the list of blocked callers; and answering and quickly disconnecting the incoming call if the caller identification information matches information in the list of blocked callers. If the caller identification information does not match a number in the list of blocked callers, the call is answered.
The method may also include developing a list of trusted callers and a list of frequent callers; and adding the caller identification information of the incoming call to the list of frequent callers if the caller identification information received from the network is not present in the list of trusted callers. The method may also include adding the caller identification of the incoming call to the list of blocked callers if the number is not present in the list of trusted callers and a usage value is exceeded.
The method may also include developing a list of urgent callers and processing the call according to the list of urgent callers if the caller identification information from the network matches information in the list of urgent callers. The list of urgent callers includes at least one action to be taken when a call corresponding to the caller identification information is received.
A computer system for connecting to a telephone line to receive faxes is also disclosed. The computer system may include a processor; a memory coupled to the processor and containing a list of caller identification information; and a fax device coupled to the memory and the processor. The fax device may receive caller identification information from the network corresponding to an incoming call and determine how to handle the incoming call based on the list of caller identification information.
The list of caller identification information may include a list of blocked callers and the fax device may not answer the call if the caller identification information from the network matches information in the list of blocked callers. Alternatively, the fax device may answer and quickly disconnect the call if the caller identification information from the network matches in the list of blocked callers. If the caller identification information corresponding to the incoming call matches information in the list of blocked callers, the fax device will answer and process the call.
The memory also may include a list of trusted callers and a list of frequent callers. The fax device is further configured to add the incoming call to the list of frequent callers if the number corresponding to the incoming call is not present in the list of trusted callers. The fax device is further configured to add the incoming call to the list of blocked callers if the number corresponding to the incoming call is not present in the list of trusted callers and a usage value is exceeded.
The memory also may include a list of urgent callers. The urgent caller list includes at least one action to be taken when a call to the incoming caller identification information is received. The fax device is further configured to process the call according to the list of urgent callers if the caller identification information from the network matches information in the list of urgent callers.
A fax device for coupling to a telephone line is also disclosed. The fax device may include a means for storing a list of caller identification information; means for receiving caller identification information from the telecommunications line during a call; and means for determining how to handle the incoming call based on the list of caller identification information.